PHILADELPHIA -- Much of what Eagles head coach Chip Kelly's offense is predicated on depends on speed and running the football effectively.

During the off-season, the Eagles bolstered both of those aspects of Kelly's high-octane attack by trading a fifth-round draft choice for running back Darren Sproles who now joins the league's rushing champion; LeSean McCoy in Philly's backfield.

McCoy took more snaps than most running backs across the league last season which helped contribute to his historic 1,607 yard season that set the franchise rushing record. However, by adding Sproles, the Eagles clearly were looking for a second option to cut down on McCoy's career-high 314 carries in an effort to limit the wear on his proverbial tires.

"I think that [Darren] Sproles will really help me out. It's just another option, another look and formation that defenses will have to worry about. Also, he'll keep me fresh," McCoy said Monday after the team's OTA practice at the Novacare Complex. "Just being productive, if he takes some of the load off and in that fourth quarter I'm fresh, you know defenses won't like to see that.

"When I have so many carries and you're still in good shape. It's not the same as doing it all on your own."

McCoy appeared trimmer during Monday's practice, which could be a byproduct of the six-year veteran trying to improve his conditioning in the off-season but he disputed that claim afterwards saying that his playing weight hasn't changed.

Sproles, always a duel-threat running back, has developed into more of a receiving option in recent years while with the New Orleans Saints. Kelly though, asserted last week that Sproles will be a running back in the Eagles' offense.

His most productive year as a runner came in 2011 with the Saints, when he totaled 603 rushing yards and two touchdowns. But that same season, he had 710 reciving yards with seven touchdowns.

In the past four years, Sproles has totaled at least 500 receiving yards in each season.

Sproles' versatility is likely what made him such an attractive option for the Eagles when he became available and it's little doubt that Kelly will find new ways to get him involved both on the ground and through the air.

"It makes it difficult preparing for the offense," McCoy pointed out. "If you have me and Sproles back there you can run it, you can pass, you can call a screen."

Given Kelly's propensity for exploiting mismatches and spreading the ball around, Sproles will likely carve out his own niche in the offense. McCoy says that even with a solid second option at running back now in the fold, he isn't concerned about Sproles cutting into his own production.

"I know my role and I have a big percentage of the offense," McCoy explained. "Coach Kelly, he finds ways to get us both on the field. I like it."